National conference on water shortage today

ISLAMABAD - The water experts and stakeholders would put their heads together here today (Wednesday) to evolve a mechanism for resolution of issues related to the scarcity of potable and irrigation water, it is learnt reliably here.

"In pursuant to the Chief Justice of Pakistan directives the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan intends to arrange a national workshop/conference on the subject," said the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan in a letter to various stakeholders. The rivers inflows have further deteriorated and the inflows have reduced by more than 15000 cusecs on Tuesday and Indus River System Authority (IRSA) is Wednesday (today) likely to further reduce the provincial share.

The national workshop/conference has been convened to evaluate the severity of water shortage along with reasons and to recommend remedial measures (short term, medium term and long term) to encounter this serious national issue, said the letter the copy of which is available with The Nation.

According to the letter, the Chief Justice of Pakistan has taken notice of acute shortage of water in the country.

The apex court observed the shortage of drinking and irrigation water has created problems for the public and failure of government to make dams for the purpose of storage of water is going to affect the country drastically in the future, the letter maintained.

In this regard, the Chief Justice of Pakistan has directed the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan(LICP) to hold conference on the issue of drinking, irrigation water.

In pursuant to the direction the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan intends to arrange a national workshop/conference. on the subject issue to evaluate the severity of water shortage along with reasons and to recommend remedial measures(short term,medium term and long term) to encounter this serious national issue.

It is worth to mention that a case on the issue is fixed at Supreme Court of Pakistan Wednesday (today).

Meanwhile an official sources said that the water flows in the rivers have further reduced and it is likely that the Irsa would Wednesday (today) further increase the provinces shortage to 14 percent from the current 9 percent.